San Jose: Man convicted in 2011 stabbing death of friend

SAN JOSE -- A jury rejected the notion that Andrew Rachal acted in self-defense when he stabbed his friend more than 30 times in the arms, legs and head with a kitchen knife in 2011, handing down a first-degree murder conviction on Tuesday.

Rachal, 54, fled after knifing Ricky Patterson, 51, and the next day leapt off a Southern California highway overpass into oncoming traffic in an apparent suicide attempt, according to prosecutors. He broke his ankles and pelvis in the fall, and was taken into custody as a suspect in the killing after telling people who came to his aid that Patterson "had a knife, he came at me."

Witnesses described a frightful scene at Rachal's Kyra Circle home in San Jose the afternoon of May 10, 2011. One said he heard cries for help and looked through a kitchen window to see the pair amid large amounts of blood, according to the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office.

Rachal departed the scene telling neighbors that everything was all right, although one witness described him as appearing like "he had dipped his arms in red paint," said prosecutors.

His mortally wounded friend dragged himself from the kitchen and through the garage to the driveway, where he was found by emergency personnel. He died two days later at Regional Medical Center.

Rachal will be given 26 years to life in prison at his Oct. 18 sentencing, prosecutors said.

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"The killing of Ricky Patterson may not make the evening news, but it is an attack on the social fabric that binds us together," said Deputy District Attorney David Boyd in a news release.